Issue 15, 2021

Engineering graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) for catalytic reduction of CO2 to fuels and chemicals: strategy and mechanism

Abstract

The reduction of carbon dioxide to useful fuels/chemicals, such as methane, formic, and methanol, is an innovative way to address looming energy and environmental issues. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), as a greener and low-cost catalyst for the electrocatalytic and photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) to provide usable fuels, is endowed with numerous appealing attributes, e.g., Earth-abundant resources, facile synthesis, metal-free nature, catalytic properties, and unique thermal-physical–chemical stability. Articles on the use of g-C3N4 for CO2 transformation have increased significantly in the past decade, and it is important to provide timely updates in this emerging and active research area. This review emphasizes the rational structural engineering of g-C3N4, including doping (i.e., metal, non-metal, and molecular) and heterojunction formation (i.e., metal, metal oxide, metal phosphide, metal hydroxide, metal complex, Ag-halides, and carbon materials) for electrocatalytic, photoelectrocatalytic, and photocatalytic CO2RR. Besides, an in-depth deciphering of the CO2RR mechanism from experimental, theoretical, and fundamental concepts is provided, including deliberation on the sources/emission and strategies to avoid/reduce CO2 emission. Lastly, a brief conclusion and outlook on the challenges and future prospects are highlighted to assist further in the rational design of the g-C3N4-based catalyst as a selective and efficient catalyst for the CO2RR.

Graphical abstract: Engineering graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) for catalytic reduction of CO2 to fuels and chemicals: strategy and mechanism

Article information

Article type
Tutorial Review
Submitted
14 apr 2021
Accepted
18 iyn 2021
First published
18 iyn 2021

Green Chem., 2021,23, 5394-5428

Engineering graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) for catalytic reduction of CO2 to fuels and chemicals: strategy and mechanism

Q. Lu, K. Eid, W. Li, A. M. Abdullah, G. Xu and R. S. Varma, Green Chem., 2021, 23, 5394 DOI: 10.1039/D1GC01303C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements